מַשְׁמוֹטָא, (שְׁמַט) a sneak thief, opp. to לסטיס. Ab. Zar. 15ᵇ במ׳ דזימנין וכ׳ (Ms. M. במשמיטא בעלמא, Rashi במשמוטי׳) it refers to an (ordinary) thief who sometimes commits murder to save his own life.